POLITICAL NOTES

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 25 June 1927, Page 9

POLITICAL NOTES

LATE EDITION

ITEMS FROM THE HOUSE.

UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM,

OTHER MATTERS DISCUSSED

BY TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL TO THE STAR, WELLINGTON, June 24.

In accordance with the Government’s promise, the Prime Minister, on behalf of the Minister of Finance, gave notice to-day of the introduction of the Local Authorities Empowering Relief of "Unemployment Bill. Mr W. A. Parry (Auckland Central), from the Labour benches, put a question to the Government as to the means it proposes to adopt to relieve the unemployment situation, so as to obviate the continuance of soup kitchens and doss houses, which, he alleged, had appeared in Auckland for the first time in twenty-five years. “That the Government was taking steps which were widely known throughout the Dominion,”- was the reply of the Hon. G. J. Anderson, Minister of Labour. Everyone knew what steps were being taken to meet the situation. These 'were by subsidising local bodies that were employing men without work.

Mr Parry: “Is that on the basis of 9s and 1.2 s per day'”

.The Minister: “Yes.” Mr Parry: “And must the local body pay that rate?” Mr Anderson said that the local body could pay any rate it choose, but the Government subsidy. would be only on the basis of the figures mentioned.

INCREASED BANK RATE. Mr W. S. Glenn (Rangltikei) has tabled a question to the Minister of Finance inquiring what action he proposes to take in regard to banks increasing the rate on advances. In a note the the member suggests that, as the Government is interested in the Bank of New Zealand to the extent of one-third of its capital, some explanation was due to the House and the people of the Dominion as to the reasons for the banks’ action.

That there is a strong feeling in the House over the Produce Control Board was evident when half-suppressed “hear, hears” were heard following a question by Mr A. Bell (Bay of Islands) suggesting to tho Prime Minister that in cases where the Government was not financially interested in the Control Boards dealing with New Zealand produce, that it should withdraw its nominated representative from those boards.